While some outlets report that Grand Rapids is one of the best places in the country to raise a family, it is simultaneously described as one of the worst for African-Americans in the country.

As residents try to reconcile living in a city that is really two or three different cities at once, various reactions play out. Many try to wrest themselves free from being “managed,” wondering why others seem to be participating in their own demoralization. Those enjoying privilege wonder how their good intentions can be so misunderstood.

We aim to propel all to recognize these forces wherever they are, and to engage the narrative arts to overcome personal and societal hurdles that must go, in a quest to create a more just and equitable society.